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Original poster

I feel a bit [sad] AIBU ? (It's a guinea-pig related question)

12 replies

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 05/04/2012 17:19

Just went to Pets @ Home to get some GP supplies.
They have their usual GP pens, boars and sows.

The salesman said they were from a new supplier in Spain.Made me wonder why? Price?Animal husbandry standards? Breeders going out of business?

I just felt really Sad that these little creatures would have to travel this distance. I know they previously came from guinea-pig farms in UK (it's been well documented in the Press), so they would have been transpoerted probably by van.

But to fly them in or drive across the continent.
How many wouldn't make it on the journey?

And the likelihood of all of them selling? Minimal.

OP posts:
agnesf · 05/04/2012 20:24

Its mad isn't it - there must be a cost related reason but can't understand it at all.

carrotsandcelery · 05/04/2012 20:25

That is Sad. I can't imagine they have had a great time.

mercibucket · 05/04/2012 20:25

Awwww poor little things, and they sell them at enough of a profit too!

carrotsandcelery · 05/04/2012 20:27

I know a local gp breeder and he refuses to sell to Pets at Home so that may be the reason. Those who care for their animals wouldn't let them go there so they get them abroad where the breeder doesn't realise what they are going to.

Original poster
70isaLimitNotaTarget · 07/04/2012 17:10

The baby GPs (approx 8 weeks) were a mixture of smooth, rough coat Abassynian, long haired (Peruvian) and a breed I don't recognise but looked like wirey,woolley fur.

I've had a Peruvian.They are very hard work. I just hope they advice people before they sell them.

I was not tempted to take any of them home to live in my pighouse with my boys. (Fingers crossed behind back).

OP posts:
carrotsandcelery · 07/04/2012 17:22

Would the wirey one be a teddy bear? Did it look like it had been crimped with teeny tiny little crimpers? We have one and even his whiskers are curly!

I would have been in serious trouble as I would have wanted to save them all [bugrin]

silver73 · 08/04/2012 01:49

Hearing this is making me feel sick. Those poor little GPs. I expect they are terrified. Is there someone we can complain to about this? GPs are not strong enough to undertake these kind of journeys. I thought all that travelling had been banned.

SconeInSixtySeconds · 08/04/2012 07:10

While I've got you lovely GP people here, can I ask for some advice?

We are currently in Australia, with a year to go before we return home. My DC were devastated to leave their gp's with their cousins while we were here, so we got 2 from a breeder here which they adore.

My dd (aged 8) is adamant that she wants to bring Marble and Luke home with us when we return. This means the 24 hour flight and 6 months in quarantine

mercibucket · 08/04/2012 08:34

Awww poor things in quarantine to save us from ... Mites?
I wouldn't do it - just because in terms of their life expectancy it's a long time for them to spend apart from you as well as the stress of the journey. They'd be happier with friends

Original poster
70isaLimitNotaTarget · 08/04/2012 19:32

What a situation Scone.

Personally, I'd re-home the GPs in Australia. The journey alone would be bad enough but the quarantine would be horrendous for them.

Not to mention the expense!(Would rodents spend the full 6 months?)

Why do they need quaranteen anyway? The risk of rabies would be neglible. Apart from mites, native ticks or worms I can't imagine what GPs could carry in?

OP posts:
alemci · 08/04/2012 19:41

I think our GP came from Pets are us but he is second hand (oh the poor creature) and is now in our loving care.

Original poster
70isaLimitNotaTarget · 08/04/2012 19:54

When we were there 2 of them had an eye shut. I asked a member of staff to check them.
One of them had it's 2 eyes open, (but it was definately shut when I saw it, the other had it's eye closed.

They caught it and took it off to bathe the eye.

I've (thankfully) never had a GP with a gummy eye. One of my previous pigs scratched her eye.It healed but her eye was always a bit opaque.

These babies climb over each other so it could have been injury, some foreign body or an infection. (Hopefully not the latter or it would spread).
My DD wants to go back and check the GP is ok but I might end up getting arrested asked to vacate.

And they had 2 boars in the Second Hand Section. But unless they are very lucky, they won't compete with the babies.
They would end up in rescue. Sad and wait for a home.
(I got mine from a rabbit rescue. But we specifically wanted an adult pair, one or both had to be a boy. DDs express wishes)

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